


In the Sea of Lovers Without Ships

by misslizanne



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-08
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 16:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1435486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misslizanne/pseuds/misslizanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Parallel to the Hat Trick episode where Emma convinces Mary Margaret to stay because she’s family...</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Sea of Lovers Without Ships

Killian hears the slam of a car door and he shoots up from his bed towards the small window of his room at Granny’s, his eyes locking onto Emma as she paces around her yellow bug beneath the light of the moon. The car looks to be filled with the same luggage he remembers packing before their trip from New York, and Henry is seated snugly in the back seat, thumbs working madly on that magical device with lights and noises.

Emma looks like she’s leaving, but how can she? She’s the savior and they’re not done and he  _needs_  her. After everything, after  _until I met you_ and  _when I win your heart_ and  _good_ and  _you found me_ , after everything he did in the Enchanted Forest to get back to her, to restore her memory, to save the savior… she can’t just  _leave_.

He thought this morning would have done the trick, his short, yet emblazoned speech that she can’t just go back to who she once was (only because he couldn’t, not after Emma, certainly not after  _Emma_ ).

No, she can’t be leaving.

He walks out from his room, marching down the hallway, clad only in his leather pants. He makes it halfway down the steps before he bumps into her. “Swan.”

He tries to grab her attention but she refuses to look at him, her face flushed, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her plaid shirt. After the recent run-in with Zelena, Emma’s been all bit spooked, acting less and less like the strong savior he knows she is. “You’re leaving,” he mumbles.

"Do you want me to leave?” She tries to bolt past him.

He blocks her, all leather and muscle unyielding on the steps, and shrugs nonchalantly. “Your choice.”

She grabs onto the railing, averts her gaze from his, because she just knows if she lets herself look, she’ll change her mind, stay in this godforsaken town, fight off the Wicked Witch, regardless of what could happen to Henry (regardless of what almost  _did_ , because Zelena figured out Regina’s weakness, tried to harm Henry, and it was enough of a close call to justify leaving).

Emma attempts to open her mouth, tell him off and shove past him, but he begins to speak.

“Just know something,” he starts, stepping down a few steps to meet her at eye level, and the lilting timbre of his voice draws her attention to his eyes, so blue, pleading with her. “Trying to run from your problems, trying to go back to the person you used to be, it’s not as easy as you think. You have to believe me, love. You have to  _trust_  me.”

Emma feels almost uneasy at his declaration.  _Trust me_. As if it was that easy, as if he wouldn’t just abandon her like the rest. ( _Not all guys are like my dad_ , she recalls, words spoken by the young son she’s trying to protect).

“I know it seems impossible, Swan, but a life in Storybrooke, it  _can_ work,” Killian explains, his voice practically begging her to listen.

She shakes her head in protest. “No, it can’t.”

“It can,” Killian pleads, eyes boring into her with that same look of concern she always sees when she glances his way, like he’s reading her. “You can be a savior, a mother, a daughter, even a  _wife_ , if that’s what you want. You can be all of them, but you just need to  _believe_ it.”

“Why is it so important for me to believe?” Emma scoffs, brow furrowing as she moves towards him on the small step, invading his personal space as he always does with her. “Why does it matter what happens to me?”

He lets out a discouraged sigh. “You really don’t know?”

She holds his gaze firmly, making sure her face displays no emotion. “Humor me.”

His hardened expression softens before his eyes flare with a hint of irritation. “Because when I wanted to leave, you told me I could be a part of something, and so I chose that and  _you_  over revenge.” He pushes back assertively, stepping towards her so she’s eventually pinned against the railing. “Because when I thought I was nothing more than a one-handed pirate with a drinking problem, you convinced me that I was more than that, that I was a  _hero_.”

Emma looks on surprised, his arms resting on either side of her so she’s steady against the railing.

“I’ve realized that all my life, I have felt abandoned and alone,” he whispers, a slight tremble in his tone, his breath warm across her face. “You think you have walls, love, but I’ve had centuries to build mine.”

She can only tilt her head, bite down on her lip to fight off the cold shiver of regret that shudders down her spine.

“Nobody ever stays. I lose  _everyone_  because I destroy everything in my path…” He lets his gaze drift past her for a moment before returning with a hopelessness that causes unwanted tears to brim in her eyes and a slow ache to build in her heart. “Except for you, Swan.”

Emma’s breath hitches upon his declaration, almost wary of its true meaning. She tries to speak again, but she’s unable to find the words for an appropriate response.

Killian licks his lips involuntarily, and she can feel the sudden shake of his torso, the broken sob he’s trying to hold back. “I gave up the Jolly Roger to get back to you. It was once my  _home_ , but I found I didn’t need it anymore.” He leans forward, takes her in as if he’s committing her to memory, like he’ll lose her  _again_. “My home, it’s you, and I can’t lose that. I can’t lose you and Henry. I can’t lose my family.”

 _“Family_?” is all she can say, breathy and awestruck.

He nods. “Aye,  _family_.”

She looks away, staring blankly into the dark distance of the stairwell before leaning into his shoulder, a soft cry escaping her lips as he envelops her in an embrace full of warmth and spice and  _him_  (and  _family_ , she thinks to herself).


End file.
